hutchinson



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. HUTGHINSON. INGANDESGENT LAMP SOCKET.

No. 491,561. Patented Feb. 14, 1893.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2, HINSON.

LAMP SOCKET.

Patented Feb. 14, 1893.

INGANDES w? E In (No Model.)

UNITED TATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH HUTCHINSON, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE EDISON GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

lNCANDESCENT-LAMP SOCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 491,561, dated February14, 189

Application filed June 11, 1891. Serial No, 895,876. (No model.)

T0 60% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH HUTCHINSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, county and State of New York, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Lamp-Sockets, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention relates to sockets adapted to receive and supportincandescent lamps, and to connect the two ends of theincandescentfilaments of such lamps to the supply circuit.

The main objects of the invention are to reduce the cost of manufacture,and to provide a socket with which incandescent lamps of either of theusual forms can be readily employed; and the invention consists in theimproved socket, and in the several combinations hereinafter set forthand specified in the claims.

The socket as a whole consists of a base portion supporting terminals towhich the two wires of a circuit are to be connected, and a sleeveadapted to receive the neck of an incandescent lamp in such position asto connect the lamp filamentwith the circuit terminals.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 represents an end view of the base of the socket; Fig. 2 is asection on the dotted line shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is aside view of thebase looking in the direction of the ar row a: Fig. 1; Figs. 4:, 4 to7,7inclusive show plan and side views, respectively, of the re- 7movable contact devices adapted to be connected with the terminalssupported on the socket base; on Sheet 2, Fig. 8, is a centralsecti0n,on a line at right angles to the dotted line shown in Fig. 1, ofa complete Edison socket; Fig. 9 is a similar View of a Sawyer and Mannor lVestinghouse socket; and Fig. 10. is a similar view of a'lhomson-Houston socket. V

The construction of the base will be seen in the first three figures.

1 is a thin sheet metal cap spun into form and having at its outer edgea flange 2; the inner edge 3 is preferably turned in slightly.

4 is a brass or other metal ring of sufficient thickness to receivescrew-threads, as shown.

This ring is adapted to be screwed onto a bracket or fixture forming asupport for the socket.

5, 6, are two terminal plates which are so bent or formed as to providean extension 7 on one side, and grooves or dovetails S on the oppositeside. These plates are also provided with screw-holes 9 for thereception of screws 10, by means of which circuit wires may be connectedto said plates. These screws also serve to clamp the removable contactdevices hereinafter described and to preventtheir slipping out of thegrooves 8. Aface view of the plate 5 is shown in Fig. 2, and a face viewof plate 6 is shown in Fig. 3.

In making the base part of the socket, I support cap 1, ring 4, andterminals 5, 6 in a suitable mold in the same relative position thatthey are designed to occupy in the completed socket. Plastic bonsilate,or other suitable insulating material, which preferably is capable ofwithstanding a high degree of heat, is molded into and around said partsinto the form shown in the drawings. It will be seen that the insulatingbody is formed with a central opening 14:, and screw-threaded pillars orextensions 12, 13, and that in the upper part of said extensions aredepressions or cutaway portions 15, 16. The insulating body entirelyfills the cap 1, and extends between the neck thereof and thescrew-threaded ring 4. The insulating material also is formed around therear extensions 7 of the terminals 5, 6, thereby permanently connectingsaid terminals with the base of the socket. In the neck of the sleeve 1is a hole 1 a little larger than the head of screw 1", which is insertedthrough the insulating body and through the screw-threaded ring 4 tosecure the latter in place. By making the hole 1 large so that the screwwill not touch the metal of the cap, there will be no electricalconnection between the ring 4 and the sleeve 1, and hence there will beno danger of persons receiving a shock on touching the latter even ifthere should be a connection between the circuit wires and the ring 4,or the metal pipe on which it is secured.

Figs. 4 and 4: illustrate a contact device which is designed to be usedin connection with the terminal 5. The end 17 is adapted to be slippedinto the grooves 8, until the hole 18 comes in line with the hole 9, andthe horizontal arm 19 stands near the outer face of the projection 13.The position of this arm is shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, in each of whichsaid arm is shown in section. This contact 17 is the same for each ofthe three forms of socket named; it is therefore evident that in makingthe socket it is not essential to form the contact arm 19 in a separatepiece from the terminal 5, although this is preferable.

Figs. 5 and 5 illustrate the contac vice adapted for use with theterminal 6, when the socket is to be used with an Edison lamp. Thiscontact device consists of a metal plate a portion of which is adaptedto be slipped into the grooves 8 of the terminal 6, the slot 20accommodating the screw 10. A portion 21 of the device is so formed asto occupy the space formed by the two depressions 15, 16, as indicatedmost clearly in Fig. 8. On the upper side of this part is acontactspring 22, secured to the body of the device by rivets or in anyother suitable manner. When the base is to be used in a socket for anEdison lamp the two contact devices just described are put in place. Ascrew-threaded sleeve having a shoulder 24 and a flange 25, which isadapted to rest against the arm 19, is secured to the base by means of asecond screw-threaded metalsleeve 26 andan interposedinsulating ring 27.This ringis preferably provided with a shoulder 28, so that when thesleeve 26 is screwed onto the base it locks the several parts together.An Edison lamp can then be screwed into the sleeve 23, and one end ofthe lamp filament will be connected to said sleeve while the other endwill be connected to the spring 22. Ring 27 is preferably broken at oneside so that it will tend to open out and will thus hold itself in thesleeve 26 when the parts of the socket are separate. This is indicatedat 29, Fig. 8, Where the ring is not shown in section, since the sectionof the figure is supposed to be through the ring at the point of thebreak.

When the base is to be used in a Westinghouse system the contact deviceshown in Figs. 6, 6, instead of that shown in Figs. 5, 5, is used inconnection with terminal 6. The general shape of the vertical leg 30,and of the top portion 31, is the same as that of the contact devicealready described, but in the latter part is a hole 32, and instead ofthe spring 22 lying directly over the body of the device, is a spring 33secured at 34 and having the end 35 bent down through the opening 32. Inthis socket I use the sleeve 26, as already described, also the ring 27,but instead of the screw-threaded sleeve 23 I use a sleeve 36 having aseries of spring fingers adapted to clamp the neck of the lamp. Thissleeve is provided with an inner flange 37, and an exterior shoulder 38adapted to rest behind the shoulder on the insulating ring, whereby whenthe sleeve 26 is screwed onto the base the parts are held together. Whena lamp is inserted in the socket one terminal of the filament enters thehole 32 making contact with spring 33, and the other terminal makescontact with arm 19 through the sleeve 36. It is evident that in eitherof the sockets above described ashade or shade-holder may be supportedby clamping it between the cap 1 and the inner end of sleeve 26, thatis, the end farthest from the lamp. The position of such ashade orshadeholder is indicated by dotted lines 39 in Fig. 9. This arrangementlessens the distance between the end of the fixture arm and the shadeand gives a more compact and artistic appearance, compared with theusual way of supporting the shade from the mouth of the socket.

When the base is to be used with sockets in a Thomson-Houston system,the contact device shown in Figs. 7, 7 is used in connection with theterminal 6. This device also has an upper part of the shape alreadydescribed, and a vertical part 40 adapted to enter the grooves 8. On theupper part is supported a screw 41, which when the lamp is insertedmakes contact with one terminal of the lamp, the other terminal of thelamp being directly against arm 19. This contact device is shown inplace in Fig. 10. In said figure instead of showing the sleeve 26 on thebase of the socket as might be done, I have shown a sleeve 42 ofsubstantially the same form as sleeve 26, except that a shade holder 43,consisting of arms 44 bent at an angle to the sleeve and a ring 45, ismade integral with the body and flange of the sleeve. This shade-holderis especially advantageous on account of its simplicity, and because itdoes not require many extra parts, and since it possesses the advantageabove mentioned of shortening the distance between the support for thesocket and the shade. The sleeve 42 and its shadeholder may be used ineither of the other sockets in place of the ring 26.

From the description already given, it will be clear that the severalparts of which the sockets are made are interchangeable in the socketsdesigned for the different systems, except that different contactdevices are required, owing to the form of the co-operating terminals onthelamps. I can therefore make up the parts in large quantities and keepthem in stock, and when sockets are required for any particular system,all that is necessary to do is to take the main portions of the sockets,which are alike for all systems, and connect with them the special formof contact device required. Should it be desired at any time to changethe system all that it is necessary to do is to remove the contactdevices first applied to the sockets, and to substitute the desired formof contact devices.

What I claim is,

1. The combination, in a lamp socket, of a socket base having aninsulating body, a metal terminal thereon having means for connecting itto an external supply circuit, a removable metal contact piece fitted tosaid terminal, and

IIO

having an extension projecting into the path of one terminal of a lamp,and a second contact for the other terminal of the lamp, substantiallyas described.

2. The combination, in a socket, of a body, a central socket contactsuitably supported, means for connecting a supply wire thereto, a sleevesocket contact, and a spring or contact device to which a wire of asupply circuit may also be connected, said contact device being formedto make contact with said sleeve contact and being of such shape as tobe adapted also to make contact with an edge terminal on a lamp basewhen the sleeve contact is removed, whereby by changing the centralcontact andby removing the sleeve contact, the socket is adapted for adifferent style of lamp, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a lamp socket, of the insulating body, the bodybeing provided with a grooved or socketed part and a contact devicefitting or adapted to fit the same, and a second contact device,substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a lamp socket, of the insulating body, a metalterminal secured to the body and having a groove at each edge, a contactpiece fitting into said groove, and a second contact device,substantially as described.

5. A lamp socket base the body of which is of molded insulating materialand which has an opening through it for the passage of wires, andextensions formed integrally with the body of the base, in combinationwith terminals partially embedded in the extensions, whereby saidterminals are held in place and detachable contacts connected to saidterminals and means for connecting an external supply circuit thereto,substantially as de scribed.

6. The combination, in a lamp socket base, of a metal cap, a metalsleeve within it, a molded body of insulating material in the cap, andhaving integral screw-threaded extensions, terminals supported on saidextensions, and a screw-threaded sleeve fitting onto the saidextensions, substantially as described.

7. The combination, in a lamp socket, of a base of insulating materialand having screwthreaded extensions, and a screw-threaded sleeve fittingonto said extensions and projecting beyond said extensions,substantially as described.

8. The combination, in a lamp socket, of a metal cap, an insulatingbodytherein, and havin gsorew-threaded extensions rising above the cap,contacts adapted to cooperate with the terminals of an incandescent lampsupported on the extensions of the insulating body, a screwthreadedmetal sleeve supported by said extensions, said sleeve having a shoulderat its outer end, an insulating ring within the sleeve and restingagainst the shoulder, and a metal sleeve within the insulating ring andadapted to receive a lamp, substantially as described.

9. The combination with the body of a socket, of a sheet metal sleeve onsaid body and having an end bent at an angle to the body and providedwith retaining devices for a shade, substantially as described.

10. A shade supporting device consisting of a sheet metal sleeve adaptedto form a part of a lamp socket and having an end bent at an angle tothe body and provided at the outer end of the bent portion withretaining devices for a shade, substantially as described.

11. The combination of the socket base, the metal sleeve supportedthereon and having a shoulder at one end, an insulating ring within thesleeve and resting against the shoulder, and a second metal sleevehaving a shoulder, said sleeve passing through the insulating ring andthe shoulder bearing against it, substantially as described.

12. The combination of the metal sleeve having a shoulder at one endforming a part of a lamp socket, an insulating ring within the sleeveand resting against the shoulder, and a second metal sleeve having ashoulder, said sleeve passing through the ring and having itsshoulder-also resting against the ring, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 9th day of June, 1891.

JOSEPH HUTCHINSON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES M. CATLIN, J. A. YOUNG.

